Edmonton Oilers must keep an eye on Pittsburgh Penguins fire sale

The Edmonton Oilers could reap the benefits of the impending Pittsburgh Penguins fire sale. During a recent edition of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman discussed the Penguins’ willingness to essentially deal anyone on their current roster.

While it seems that Sidney Crosby is the only untouchable on the Penguins’ roster, virtually anyone could be had for the right price. That situation could mean a potential opportunity for the Oilers to pick up useful pieces, particularly amid the disappointing start by Jeff Skinner and holes to plug on the blue line.

It’s worth pointing out that the Penguins have contracts the Oilers should not touch with a ten-foot pole. Erik Karlsson comes to mind. Even if the Oilers could work out a deal with salary retention by the Penguins and a third party, Karlsson’s cap hit would be way too high for Edmonton to fit in this season.

Similarly, Kris Letang, while a solid fit for the Oilers, is 37. His best days are behind him. Trading for Letang could turn out into a nightmare for the Oilers down the road.

Then there’s Evgeni Malkin, who is under contract for one more season and set to become a free agent in 2026. Malkin has a $6.1 million cap hit. At 38, it’s unlikely Malkin gets a multi-year deal or an AAV close to his current contract.

Malkin could be an interesting depth piece to play behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But the Oilers would need to do some cap voodoo in order to fit the last year and a half of Malkin’s current contract under the cap.

Nevertheless, there are some interesting options the Oilers could target by the time the trade deadline looms.

Depth pieces the Oilers could target from the Pittsburgh Penguins

So, let’s look at three depth pieces the Edmonton Oilers could target from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Drew O’Connor

O’Connor has been filling in as the Pens’ third-line cente. He’s been playing well recently, showing potential to become a truly solid middle-six forward. On the Oilers, he could slide in as the fourth-line centre or move to the wing on the second line with Draisaitl. O’Connor’s $925K cap hit is perfect for the Oilers and should cost no more than a late-round pick.

Alex Nedeljkovic

With the relative uncertainty in goal for the Oilers, adding a veteran netminder like Nedeljkovic could give coach Kris Knoblauch some flexibility. While carrying three goalies is not ideal, it could be a solution amid inconsistent goaltending from Stuart Skinner.

Overall, Nedeljkovic has played well behind a poor Penguins’ defense. As long as the Oilers continue to play a solid, structured game in front of their netminders, a goalie like Nedeljkovic could find success.

Michael Bunting

Like Zach Hyman, Bunting is a former Toronto Maple Leaf who got his start playing with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. As such, Bunting could be a great option to play alongside Draisaitl on the second line. Perhaps Bunting could slide into the top line in place of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, giving McDavid and Hyman a little extra bite on the number-one unit.

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